Favorite Vegan Products: Post #1, Milks

Now, this isn’t a food blog—though, I do periodically post about food as I strongly believe that our diets play a significant role in shaping our environmental footprint. And I do intend to post in the future regarding this relationship. For starters, I’d like to help everyday people transition to a vegan lifestyle, and that begins by introducing familiar products. But also, as I prepare for the AICP, it’s nice to take a break from planning related stuff. So, without further ado…

I’m not the type of vegan that became so for health reasons—my decision was entirely ethical (the health benefits are just a bonus!). Now, the health conscious vegans try to avoid processed food in general, so they might recommend that you still to a whole food, plant based diet. And while I agree that’s a fantastic thing to strive for, many of us want to live a little and give our tastebuds a ride every time and again!

I also know that many transitioning vegans, especially those skipping over the vegetarian step stone, find veganism daunting and overwhelming. If that’s you right now, I assure you that it is easier than you expect, but you’re now adjusting to a life filled with so many wonderful, wholesome and fresh foods that you may have never imagined eating (but you’ll be glad when you finally do!). And when someone is in that zone–the newly vegan zone–they may yearn for something familiar.

For lack of a better term, we eat alternatives; but that in no way is meant to suggest that what we eat is inferior to what your typical carnivore eats. It might seem weird at first, or even taste different, but you’ll soon find out that plant-based versions of the foods you used to love are both delicious and nutritious!

At the request of a few of my aunts, I’ll be taking some time over the coming weeks to describe my favorite plant-based products! I’ll start simple, and do keep in mind that I also have relatively simple tastes, and that there are sooo many options out there. My lists are just a start, but you’ll have to go out there and explore on your own!

Soy milk is not the only option, there are myriad plant-based milks to choose from—from nuts and seeds, to oats, to rice, and plenty more. Soy may just be the most widely available option.

Now, I don’t live in Austin, California, the Pacific Northwest, or Colorado, or any other famous vegan city, but I do live in a City, which tends to have more options. I can’t speak to any seriously rural areas, but in my traveling (which, to be fair, isn’t much), I have yet to find a place where I couldn’t find my plant-based milk!

Where I live, every conventional, full-service grocery store has plant-based milks in the refrigerated section alongside the dairy-based milks—in addition to groceries, I can find cold, plant-based milks at Target, Walmart, and other superstores, bulk wholesale places like SAM’s club, and (of course), in Natural Markets (I’ve yet to find a convenience store with this option; sans, perhaps, some in the more swanky parts of town).

The refrigerated plant-based milk section at my local natural food market is so big, it requires two sections!

One of the reasons I love plant-based milks so is because you can stock up and keep them for months in your pantry. In addition to the refrigerated section, you can find plant-based milks in aseptic packs in your packaged good aisles, usually near other packaged beverages, but sometimes located in specialty food sections.

You usually have more options here, in terms of non-soy milks. You can even find chocolate milks, seasonal milks (West Soy’s winter Peppermint Chocolate Soy Milk is my FAVORITE!! But you can also get iced coffee packs (see below)), and mini-packs for children’s (or adults) lunches.